Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz (Czech: Jan Křtitel Krumpholtz) (8 May 1742 – 19 February 1790) was a Czech composer and harpist.
Krumpholz was born in Budenice, near Zlonice. He learned music from his father while growing up in Paris; in 1773 he played a successful harp concerto in the Burgtheater in Vienna. After serving three years in Count Esterházy’s court orchestra (1773–1776), during which he is said to have taken counterpoint lessons with Joseph Haydn, he embarked on a successful concert tour of Europe. In Paris and Metz, he worked along with manufacturers Jean Henri Naderman, his son François Joseph Naderman, and Sébastien Érard towards improving the construction of the harp. He composed concertos and sonatas for harp and chamber music.
In the end, he drowned himself in the Seine after his wife, a former pupil, Anne-Marie Krumpholtz (1755–1824), also a virtuoso harpist, eloped to London, although the story that this was with pianist Jan Ladislav Dussek is apocryphal.[citation needed]
He was the brother of Wenzel Krumpholz, violinist and mandolin player.
Krumpholz composed 52 sonatas, 6 concertos and many preludes and variations for the harp. He wrote also harp duets, quartets and 4 sonatas for harp, 2 violins, 2 French horns and cello. (by wikipedia)
Considered the foremost harp composer of his day, Jean-Baptiste Krumpholtz was a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart. He almost certainly knew the former; they were at the Esterházy court at the same time, and his wife, the harpist Anne-Marie Steckler performed in Haydn’s London concerts. Krumpholtz’s scored several major harp works proceeding Mozart’s concerto for flute and harp, dedicated to Mademoiselle de Guines, for whom Krumpholtz himself wrote. Featured in this recital are his “Variations on an Air by Mozart” (from symphony no.35). Composing in a style which was both typical of the period yet advanced the range and technique of harp music, Krumpholtz scored some of his works for solo or accompanied performance. (Gary S. Dalkin)
And here are some information about the solo artist of this album, Hana Müllerová:
Personnel:
Hana Müllerová (harp)
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Vojtech ‘Spurny (piano on 01. – 06)
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Prague Philharmonia conducted by Jaroslav Krček
Tracklist:
Simphonie Concertante in F major for Harp and Orchestra, Op.5, No.1 (14:46):
01. Allegro 5.57
02. Andante 3.43
03. Menuetto. Allegretto 5.14
Simphonie Concertante in B flat major for Harp and Orchestra, Op.5, No.2 (14:11):
04. Allegro non troppo 5.20
05. Adagio con espressione 4.02
06. Tempo di Menuetto 4.56
Simphonie in F major for Harp and Orchestra, Op.11, No.1 (22:56)
07. Allegro assai 9.21
08. Andantino sempre piano 8.53
09. Rondeau. Allegro 4.47
Simphonie in G major for Harp and Orchestra, Op.11, No.2 (19:59)
10. Allegro 7.30
11. Romance 7.01
12. Rondeau. Allegro 5.29
Music composed by Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz
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